One day it will be truth
by EmmaCrane
Summary: One shot OC/Peeta Mellark pairing. Rebecca and Peeta are in love. Peeta's brother is reaped and fights in the 72th Hunger Games. AU story. He will never meet Katniss.


It's an AU story about Peeta Mellark and my OC, Rebecca Copperwood.

I **do not** own The Hunger Games. The only thing that's mine is the arena idea, this story and my OC's.

* * *

Today was the day, the day of the reaping, the day of the devil. Again two of us will be sent to death, a horrible death. I can't believe how they can enjoy watching children killing each other. I really can't. My dog jumps on my bed, licking my face. 'Jid-ji!' I scream. I know it was time to wake up, time to dress up. I go downstairs and see a beautiful turquoise dress lying on the table. I can't believe it, it's my mom's wedding gown. 'Wow' is the only thing I can say. My mom turns around and gives me a hug. 'A special dress for my special girl' she whispers. I love her. Suddenly my little sister hops in. She's always so happy, even on a day like this. I'm happy she isn't twelve yet. I can't see her fighting in the Games. I'm afraid she won't survive the Cornucopia bloodbath. I'm afraid I can't. My mom is curling my hair while my mind is somewhere else.

Peeta. I can't live without him. He may not be reaped today. We're too happy together. I'm freaking out. It would be horrible to see him struggle, more horrible to see him die. Suddenly my mom yanks my hair. 'AUCH!' 'Sorry honey, but you haven't brushed your hair since the last reaping.' Why would I? No one cares here. She zips me up and I feel like a princess. Peeta is going to love it. I wonder what he's looking like. It feels like yesterday when I met him.

I was babysitting in his neighbourhood, when I saw him. He was arguing with his mother about burning the bread. She hit him, quite hard. It made me so angry, I almost yelled. Then I realised it wasn't a good idea. I didn't want to get hurt. Even with the tears running down his cheeks, he is beautiful. The next day I saw him at school, he had a bruise on his cheek. I know why, but I don't think anyone else did. He was sitting alone at lunch break. I couldn't resist to ask if I could join him. So I did. We talked, it looked like he enjoyed it, and so did I. I fell in love with him and he with me. Since that day, we have never been alone at lunch break anymore.

Suddenly the buzzer goes. It's time. The reaping is about to begin. I walk to the square, everything is decorated, everybody dressed up. I'm in the queue for the blood sample. Auch. It always hurts. Beep beep. 'Rebecca Copperwood' the monitor says. That's me. While walking to the group of girls from my age, I see Peeta. He looks terrified, but then he sees me. A little smile appears on his lips, though he is still terrified. Looking around I see his brother standing one group away from him. Suddenly I hear a booming noise. It was Effie Trinket testing the microphone. The reaping was about to begin.

'Welcome, welcome to the reaping of the 72th Annual Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour! As always ladies first!' I hear her hand going through the tickets and she pulls one out. A deathly silence. 'Sue Gripple! Come on up dear!' I sigh, but the girl next to me is frozen. I know her. It's Sue's sister. I pull her to me and hug her. She needs it and she starts crying. I'm trying to comfort her, but it isn't easy. I understand it, I would be broken too if my little sister was reaped. She knows she isn't going to survive. These days will be one of the worst of her life. I pity her.

Sue walks to the stage. Her eyes look empty, her body looks robotic. I pity her, but I'm happy it isn't me.

'Come stand here with me.' Effie squeaks. Her voice is annoying as hell. 'Now it's time for the boys! May the odds be ever in your favour!' Again she pulls out one card and unfolds it. 'Parsley Mellark!' My face turns to Peeta, his to mine. Tears are trying to get out. It's his brother. Luckily, Parsley has a chance of winning. He is strong, big and probably one of the oldest of this year. Let's hope Haymitch isn't constantly drunk this year. Sue and Parsley shake hands and Effie concludes the reaping 'Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!'

Everybody leaves as fast as they can, I see the Gripple family crying and hugging each other. Suddenly I see Peeta and I fall in his arms. We cry. Both from happiness and sorrow. The following days will be horrifying. Peeta's dad comes over to us and hugs us both. I'm considered as family. Knowing every tribute has a couple of minutes to say goodbye to their loved ones, we go to the Justice building, where he is. We divide the minutes. Peeta and I go together and we've got 1 minute. Mr. and Mrs. Mellark would go first, his other brother second and we last.

We're waiting. Mr. and Mrs. Mellark are just returned. They have cried, obviously. Their faces are red and their eyes are full of tears. They hold each other tightly. I crawl up to Peeta and he puts his arm around me. A tear runs down my cheek and he caresses my cheek. His other brother returns with teary eyes. A peacekeeper pulls us up and pushes us in. '1 minute' he says. We both fall in Parsley's arms. He cries and so do we. Peeta gives him a little locket. He opens it and a family portrait appears. 'We will always be there for you, always.' 'Stay strong, you can do this.' I say. The peacekeeper comes back in and pulls us away from him. Mr. Mellark captures us in a hug. 'We will pray' He whispers. Yes, we will.

* * *

A few long weeks have passed. Weeks of crying and comforting each other. Weeks of Peeta and me crawling up to each other with our eyes staring at the television. Weeks of pain. But Parsley did well. There were only 4 tributes left. Sparkle, the girl tribute from 1, Moss, the boy tribute from 2, Cecelia, a hiding girl tribute from 4 and Parsley. Sue wasn't alive anymore, Sparkle had stabbed her with a sword at the Cornucopia bloodbath. Thinking of the sorrow of her family, I watch as the Games go on. The arena was a copy of the Capitol city. Every house, every building was present. But there were a lot of booby-traps… I saw one girl, from district 4 I think, running into a building when some weird creature jumped out and killed her. I was terrified. But luckily Parsley had survived so far. It was almost time for the finale, so the Gamemakers will be very busy at this moment. Suddenly I see some buildings collapse. And more. They are driven to the cornucopia and the sun started to sink fast. It was time.

They have parted the screen in four pieces. One for every finalist. I can see Parsley run as fast as he can. His face was covered in scratches and blood. But he had a knife, which he can handle very good. Cecelia is still hidden in a high building, not aware of all the buildings collapsing, until her building collapses. Another cannon goes. Three tributes left. Suddenly the screen turns normal. They're almost there. The slaughter is about to begin.

Sparkle and Moss arrive first. They see each other and aim their arrows. Both are very good archers. But they aim so good, the arrows hit each other and fall on the ground. Another arrow is ready. Now they don't hit each other. The arrows are coming closer with the speed of a gunshot. Sparkle is hit in the left eye, but manages to pull the arrow out and stop the eye from losing too much blood by ripping a sleeve of her jacket and tie it around her head tightly. Her arrow hit Moss in the arm, but he can't get up. Sparkle runs to him and stabs him with the knife she had in her belt. A cannon blasts. Only Parsley and Sparkle are left. He has to win this, he can win this. He must. Parsley was already spying on them while they were fighting, so he noticed her eye. He decided to use it in his advantage. He would attack from her left side. Quietly, so it was hard to notice him through the noise of the last buildings of the Capitol replica collapsing. With only two metres to go, she notices him and aims her arrow. It hits him in his shoulder. I scream and Peeta holds me tighter. He couldn't give up. And he didn't. He steps up and throws his knife with frightening accuracy as it hits her head. He wants to kill her slowly, she killed his district partner. 'You're going to die!' he yells. We don't know him like that. It looks like a weird spirit has taken control. I grab Peeta's hand and close my eyes. 'I don't want to see it' I whisper. Suddenly something changes in Parsley's mind as he sees the locket hanging around his neck. He's back, our Parsley. He closes his eyes and stabs Sparkle in her heart, softly whispering sorry.

The sun rises again and Peeta tells me it's over. We all jump up and hug each other. 'He has won! Parsley has won!' Peeta kisses me with a lot of passion. I don't want to let go.

A week later Parsley is home. The whole family moves to the Victors' Village, but remains working in the bakery. Except for us. We remain living above the bakery. Our little territory, our home. Peeta kisses me and hugs me tightly. I rest my head on his shoulder and almost fall asleep. It was a hard time. He gives me a soft kiss on my cheek and I'm gone. I love dreaming. I see Peeta and me walking in a green meadow. I'm wearing a dress with butterflies, it feels like freedom. He's wearing a soft green silk shirt. I hear giggling and turn around. I see our children playing. Our daughter is making a flower headband, our son is playing dinosaur. We are living in a white wooden house. Little, but cosy. There are no Hunger Games. There is no pressure. Just peace. I feel a kiss on my lips. I wake up. Peeta has laid me on the couch and the kiss was real. I hug him and tell him what I've dreamt. 'One day it will be truth' he whispers. 'I love you'


End file.
